Aversive life events may constitute one factor that influences the course of chronic PTSD. Researchers and clinicians have frequently hypothesized that stressful life events account for much of the variability in course of chronic PTSD (Green, 1994; Resnick, Kilpatrick, and Lipovsky, 199 1); individuals with PTSD may have a compromised ability to cope with stressors, and such events may worsen existing symptoms. Social support is another variable thought to affect the course of post-trauma symptomatology. Support from other persons has been shown to both promote psychological health in general and to protect against psychological deterioration in times of stress (e.g., Cassel, 1976; Cohen and Wills, 1985, Nornis and Kamasty, 1996). This investigation will examine aversive life events and perceived social support to determine their relationships over time to symptoms of PTSD.